ELECTRICAL CONNECTING BOX AND METHOD FOR PROTECTING PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD AND MOUNTED PARTS INSIDE THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTING BOX

• US 20080030932A1
• Filed: 08/06/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Furukawa Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Furukawa Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Manabu, Fuseya, Akihiro, Yonezu, Koji, SHIMAZAKI, Hirokazu, Hasegawa, Shin
• Granted Patent: US 7,601,011 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0013 assembled by resilient members
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0052 characterized by joining features of the housing parts

Abstract

An electrical connecting box suitable to widely-ranging temperature conditions from high temperature to low temperature inside the engine room of a vehicle is described, having a printed circuit board 300 and a first protecting member 100 and a second protecting member 200 housing the printed circuit board in a sandwich state. In this electrical connecting box an extended portion 310 being a part of electrical parts is formed upon a board surface 301 on the side of the first protecting member of the printed circuit board. Additionally, first pillar portions 110 and a second pillar portion 120 are formed upon the inside surface of the first protecting member facing one side of the board surfaces, and a tip 111 and a tip 121 of these pillar portions, according to bending of the first protecting member, can be in either a contacted state or a spaced state with respect to the board surface 301 or, alternatively, a projecting body 321 fixed to the board surface. When the first pillar portions are contacting the one side of the board surfaces, there is a gap between the extended portion and the inside surface of the first protecting member such that they do not interfere with each other.

Claims

1. An electrical connecting box, comprising:

a printed circuit board;

a first protecting member and a second protecting member housing the printed circuit board in a sandwich state;

an extended portion extending from one side of the board surfaces of the printed circuit board, and facing to the first protecting member; and

a first pillar portion formed upon an inside surface of the first protecting member facing the one side of the board surfaces;

wherein the first pillar portion is configured such that their tips, according to bending of the first protecting member, can be contacted or spaced to the one side of the board surfaces or a contacting portion fixed upon the board surface; and

when the first pillar portion is contacted to the one side of the board surfaces or the contacting portion, a predetermined clearance is given between the extended portion and the inside surface of the first protecting member.

2. The electrical connecting box according to claim 1, wherein the first pillar portion is a rib formed by extending to the one side of the board surfaces on the inside surface of the first protecting member.

3. The electrical connecting box according to claim 1, further comprising:

an engaging portion extending from the second protecting member, that engages the first protecting member;

a first hole portion, formed in the first protecting member, that guides and fixes the engaging portion through the first pillar portions; and

a second hole portion, formed in the printed circuit board, that is penetrated by the engaging portion;

wherein the engaging portion penetrates the second hole portion in the printed circuit board and the first hole portion in the first pillar portions and engages the first protecting member.

4. The electrical connecting box according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second pillar portion extending to the printed circuit board on the inside surface of the second protecting member, that faces the printed circuit board;

wherein the second pillar portion, in the location corresponding to where the first pillar portions contact the printed circuit board, contacts a reverse-side board surface of the printed circuit board which faces the second protecting member.

5. The electrical connecting box according to claim 1, further comprising:

a screw member, formed upon the printed circuit board, having a screw head upon the one side of the board surfaces;

wherein the screw head acts as the contacting member.

6. The electrical connecting box according to claim 1, wherein the first pillar portion is disposed distributedly over the inside surface of the first protecting member and faces a plurality of locations upon the one side of the board surfaces.

7. The electrical connecting box according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second protecting members are made of resin.

8. The electrical connecting box according to claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board is made of glass epoxy resin.

9. The electrical connecting box according to claim 1, further comprising:

electrical and/or electronic mounted parts upon the printed circuit board.

10. The electrical connecting box according to claim 1, wherein the gap is not less than 0.5 mm.

11. The electrical connecting box according to claim 1, wherein the gap is not more than 2.5 mm.

12. The electrical connecting box according to claim 1, wherein the gap is approximately 1.5 mm.

13. The electrical connecting box according to claim 1, wherein the gap is secured at least within the temperature range from −

40°

to 120°

C.

14. The electrical connecting box according to claim 1, wherein the first pillar portion is spaced to the one side of the board surfaces at 25°

C.

15. The electrical connecting box according to claim 1, wherein the first pillar portion is separably contacted to the one side of the board surfaces at 25°

C.

16. An electrical connecting box comprising:

a printed circuit board;

a first protecting member and a second protecting member housing the printed circuit board in a sandwich state;

an extended portion, being a part of electrical parts, formed extending from one side of the board surfaces of the printed circuit board that faces the first protecting member; and

support means formed upon an inside surface of the first protecting member facing the one side of the board surfaces;

means for forming a clearance in the state where the support means and the contacting portion are in a contacted state or the support means and the one side of the board surfaces are in a contacted state, the clearance being at least sufficient to prevent interference between the extended portion and the inside surface of the first protecting member.

17. A method for protecting a printed circuit board and a mounted part in an electrical connecting box, comprising the steps of:

preparing the printed circuit board;

preparing a first protecting member and a second protecting member that house the printed circuit board in a sandwich state;

preparing an extended portion, being a part of electrical parts and formed extending from one side of the board surfaces of the printed circuit board that faces the first protecting member;

preparing a first pillar portion, formed upon the inside surface of the first protecting member, the inside surface facing the one side of the board surfaces;

configuring the first pillar portion such that, their tips, according to bending of the first protecting member, can be in a contacted state or a spaced state with respect to the one side of the board surfaces or the contacting portion comprised of the projecting body fixed upon the one side of the board surfaces; and

forming a clearance such that, in the state where the first pillar portions and the contacting portion are in a contacted state, the clearance is at least sufficient to prevent interference between the extended portion and the inside surface of the first protecting member.